Electric switch



P. B. KORNEKE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 27, 1943 Fig.3.

m 2 H n m Or r mum/w wax Patented Aug. 28, 1945 ELECTRIC SWITCH Paul B. Korneke, Scotia, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application April 27, 1943, Serial No. 484,725

3 Claims.

My invention relates to electric switches, more particularly to electromagnetlcally operated con- 1 trol switches of the mercury type, and has for its object a simple and reliable electromagnetic means foroperating a plurality of switches either simultaneously or selectively.

In carrying out my invention in one form I provide an operating magnet coil and a pair of elongated pole pieces for said coil having pole faces lying in a common plane, together with a plurality of enclosed mercury type switches mounted adjacent saidpole faces, each of said switches having an enclosed operating armature movable by said pole pieces 'upon energization of the coil. Thus a plurality of these mercury switches can be operatedat the same time, some being normally open and operated to their closed circuit position while others are normally closed and operated to their open circuit position. Also, I contemplate that the pole faces may be in nonparallel relation with respect to each other so that the magnetic flux passing between them varies with the distance between them, together spring clips I3, 20 and 2| secured in turn to the magnet iron member ll. In effect, the substantially opposite points on pole faces I! and I8 form a plurality of pairs of pole faces, one pair for each of the switches l4, l5 and I6. Thus the switching devices can be operated simultaneously by energizing the coil [2. a

The mercury switch devices areof the type disclosed in Patent 1,461,038,,issued on July 10, Thus,- referring to Figs. 1 I and 2, the mercury switch ll comprises a cylin- 1923, to F. G. Keyes.

drical glass container or enclosure Ila in the bottom of which is a depression for a small pool of mercury 22. This enclosure is evacuated of air and sealed at its top where the electric terminals 23 are brought out for connection to a terminal board 24 made of electrically insulating material. The terminal board is shownas secured to an extension of the upper end of the Mount? core member In as by screws 25 and 26. ed inside of the evacuated enclosure is a contact I member 21, shown as a small rod or wire, which with control means for varying the excitation oi the operating coil so as to operate the mercury switches in a desired sequence.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 of which is a front elevation view of an electromagnetically operated mercury switch embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view partly in section of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view' showing a modified form of my invention; while Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing another modified form of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, in one form of my invention I provide two L-shaped magnet iron core members In and l I between the upright ends of which is mounted an operating coil l2. Preferably, the coil is mounted on an internal core (not shown) having one end secured to the core member ill and to the right-hand end of which the core member I is secured by a suitable screw H. The lower horizontal end portions of these core members forming pole pieces are elongated extends downward from the upper end of the container and has its lower end extending into the mercury 22 so as to be in electrically conducting relation therewith. This rod 21 leads out of-the glass enclosure to one of the terminals, 23. Also mounted in the glass enclosure is a second rod 28 which is movableand normally out of engagement with the, mercury 22. It is supported on and electrically connected to a terminal member 25 (Fig. 1) having a horizontal portion at its lower end and having its upper end extending out of the glass enclosure and connected electrically to the other one of the terminal leads 23. This movable contact rod 28 has a horizontal portion and a downwardly extending vertical portion. Its horizontal portion is supported on a rod or link 30 having its upper end pivoted on the horizontal portion 3| of the terminal 29. Also, the lefthand end of the horizontal portion of the terminal rod 28 is secured to an armature member 32 made of magnet core iron, which armature is supported on the outer end of a spiral spring 33 having its inner end secured -to the horizontal portion 3!. i

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the armature 32 is in its unattracted position opposite the pole' faces I1 and l8. Preferably, a strip 31 made of elecpieces or lower ends of the two members I!) and H and also prevents the glass enclosures, from engaging the pole pieces. A plate 34a made of electrically insulating material is secured against the outer sides of the enclosures by screws 341) connected to the bar 34 whereby the lower ends of the enclosures are held against the bar 34.

Upon energization of the coil, the armature is pulled toward the left, as seen in Fig. 2, against the inner wall of the glass enclosure thereby moving the lower end of the contact pin 28 into the mercury and closing the circuit between the contact pins El and Z8. When the coil is deenergized, the spring 33 moves the armature back to its unattracted and open circuit position, as shown. It will be observed that the elongated pole faces form in efiect a plurality of pairs of pole faces, one pair for each switch. The mercury switches may be either normally open, as shown in Figsl and 2, or normally closed. In the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2, it is contemplated that the armatures of all three of the mercury switches will be moved to their attracted positions immediately upon the energization of the coil and the circuits through the three mercury switches thereby all closed at the same time. However, one or more of the mercury switches may be of the normally closed type, in which case that mercury switch will be opened when the coil is energized.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the pole faces 3'5 and 38, corresponding to the pole faces ll and l8, are in non-parallel relation although they are in substantially the same plane. As shown, these pole faces gradually diverge away from each other in a direction toward th right. It will be understood that with this arrangement the magnetic flux will be the strongest at the substantially opposite points of said pole faces and pole pieces which are the nearest together, i. e., at the lefthand end, the magnetic iiux between opposite Points decreasing gradually toward the righthand end. Consequently, the three mercury switches 31, 38 and 3% may be operated in sequence by suitably varying the energization of the operating coil 40 as by a variable resistance M in circuit with the coil. At a predetermined low value of energization of the coil the armature of the switch 3i will be moved to its attracted position thereby opening or closing this switch, as the case maybe, the other two switches 38 and 39 not being actuated. By increasing the energization of the coil 40 somewhat, the switch can be operated, and by a still further increase in energization of the coil, the switch 39 is operated. This gives a desired sequence of operation of the switches. Of course, if the coil is energized to a maximum value immediately, then all three switches will be operated at the same time.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a still further modification of my invention in which the operating pole pieces "12 and 13 are diverging, but in a different manner as compared with Fig. 3. In this figure the upper pole face 42 is straight and horizontal as before, while the lower pole face 43 is diverging downward from a central switch 44. The other right-hand end of the pole face 53 also diverges downward but at a lesser angle with the pole face 62 than the left-hand portion.

It will be observed that with this arrangement the middle switch will be operated first upon energization of the coil 20 at a low value, then with increasing energization the right-hand switch will be operated, and with still higher energization the left-hand switch will be operated.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not Wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore con template by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electric switch comprising an operating coil, pole pieces for said coil each provided with an elongated end portion thereby to provide elongated pole faces forming a plurality of effective pairs of pole faces, a bar of electrically insulating material secured between said pole pieces and projecting from said pole faces, a plurality of switches, an armature for operating each of said switches, means biasing each of said armatures to its unattracted position in which its switch is in one switching position, an air evacuated electrically insulating container for each of said switches and its operating armature, and a clamping plate secured to said electrically insulating bar so as to clamp between said plate and said bar a plurality of said containers and switching means in spaced relation with each other along said pole faces and each in spaced relation with said pole faces so that upon energization of said coil said armatures are moved to their attracted positions thereby to operate said switches.

2. An electric switch comprising an operating coil, pole pieces for said coil each provided with an elongated end portion thereby to provide elongated pole faces, said elongated portions of said pole pieces being constructed and arranged in non-parallel relation with each other to provide for varying magnetic fluxes between substantially opposite points along said pole fates with a predetermined energization of said coil, a plurality of electric switches, an armature associated with each of said switches movable to operate said switch from one switching position to another, means biasing each of said arniatures to an unattracted position in which each of said switches is in one of its switching positions, means mounting said switches adjacent said pole faces and in spaced relation with each other along said pole faces with said armatures adjacent substantially opposite points on said pole faces spaced different distances from each other so that said armatures are attracted with different forces in dependence upon the distances between said adjacent pole faces upon a predetermined energization of said coil, and means for varying the energization of said coil-thereby to move said armatures selectively to their attracted positions in response to predetermined different values of energization of said coil.

3. An electric switch comprising an operating coil, pole pieces for said coil each provided with an elongated end portion thereby to provide elongated pole faces, said elongated portions of said pole pieces being constructed and arranged in non-parallel relation with each other to provide forvarying magnetic fluxes between substantially opposite points along said pole faces with a predetermined energization of said coil, a plurality of electric switches, an armature associated with,

each of said switches movable to operate said switch from one switching position to another, means biasing each of said armatures to an unattracted position in which each of said switches is in one of its switching positions, an air evacuated electrically insulating container for each of mutt assasos 3 said switches and its operating armature, means mounting said containers adjacent said poie faces and in spaced relation with each other along said pole laces with said armatures adjacent substantialiy opposite points on said pole faces spaced diflerent distances from each other so that said v armatures are attracted with different forces in dependence upon the distances between said adia- 

